Shoe and like lace and tip therefor



Nov. 13, 1928.

A. w. UELLENDAHL SHOE AND LIKE LACE AND TI P THEREFOR Filed Jan. 1'7, 1928 TQM ATTORNEY like, and also to provide a tip which is firmly PatentedNov. 13, 1928.

lJhllTED 1STAT-ES -nrnun w. zi-merchant, or JAMAICA, new 3.031;, vnss aivon 'IOIBARTHQELS MANU- secrnnrne eomrnur, or GLENDALE, new YQRK, A-CQRFO-RATION on NEW YORK.

.sfion AND LIKE LAcnAnp TIP THEREFOR.

Application filed January 17, 1928. Serial No. 247,324.

This invention has relation to atip for shoe, corset or other laces and tosuch laces as are provided h the impro-.ed tip, mainly with the idea in view of a superior product and which at the same time may be manufactured at relatively low cost, compared with other such products now on the market.

, Other objects are to provide a tip or a lace having a tip, which tip is solid and compact, a. and hence has the desired stillness for threading through the eyelets or like of shoes, corsets, etc. An object incidental thereto is the pro-vision of a tip which is of relatively small diameter so as to enable ready threading thereof through a restricted eyelet or the bound with the lace and which ca not become detached therefrom. Y

The invention comprehends ashoe lace or the like, comprising specifically a lace or string, and a tip consisting of a narrow strip of flexible material wound compactly in the direction of its width upon and around the end of the lace and on itself, the material be ing impregnated with a substance which sets,

except when heated, and by which substance the strip is held on the lace and also in the shape of a tip.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described and then claimed with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate embodiments thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is a. perspective view of a lace or string provided with the improved tip;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a narrow strip forming a blank which may be used to make the improved tip;

Fig. 3 1s a perspective view showing the blank of Fig. 2 associated with the end of a lace, in position before the tip is formed;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the improved tip on the end of a. lace, the tip being formed in one way, and

Fig. 5 is a similar perspective view, the tip being formed in another way.

Referring to the drawings, the shoe, corset, or other lace 10, preferably made in braided form, may have the tips 15,15 thereon formed in accordance with the preferred construction hereinafter explained.

To provide the improved tip av suitably shaped piece 11 of flexible material, preferably somewhat flimsily woven, like gauze, with more or less open meshes, is made use of.

This piece of fabric 11 preferably takes the shape of a narrow strip, that is to say it is longerin one direction thanthe other, the longer dimension to extend lengthwise ofsthe lace and the narrower dimension to go around it, althou 'h'the fabric piece 11 is preferably somewhat wider than the lace. This piece of woven" fabric or gauze is very thin, and the same is impregnated with "a suitable substance through to both surfaces 12, 13 as indicated by the stipple in Figs. 2 and 3. The impregnating substance may be pyroxylin, rosin or other similar substance which sets when cold, but which softens under the action of heat.

To form or shape up the ultimate tip on the lace, the piece 11 of woven material is placed opposite the end of the lace l0, and the same inserted in suitable dies and forming means, the dies being subjected to the action of heat so as to soften the impregnat ing substance, and the fabric piece 11 then laid or wound, preferably transversely, en-

tirely around the end 14 of the lace. Vlhen the so associated parts are subjected to a proper rolling action, the said parts are suitably condensed or compacted all around the tip end of the lace, so that a tip 15 of relatively small diameter as compared with the usual tips is formed upon-the end 14 of the lace. The lace end 14 would also be tightly gathered up and compacted somewhat as shown in Fig. 4, while the piece of tip fabric may take the form'shown in Fig. '4 oras shown in Fig.5, in which latter figure the compacted lace end 16 is enclosed the compacted portions of the tip 17 Of course the lay of the piece of woven fabric 11 may tially solid lace end and tip are provided.

The application of the tip on the end of a lace may of course be performed by hand in an obvious manner, the principal object being to provide a non-metallic tip on a lace, which tip is suitably condensed and compacted around the end of the lace, so that while a tip of comparatively slight diameter, although of greater diameter than the end of the la e which it encloses, is produced, it will be substantially solid with the compacted end of the lace, and will have suitable stiifness, such advantages being wrought when the impregnating substance hardens upon the removal of the heat. The impregnating substancewill set or harden when sufficiently cool and not only are the opposing surfaces of the tip permanently and reliably preferably secured together, but as the act the invention still be within the scope of the appended claims,

WVhat I claim as'new, is: 1. A shoelace or the like, comprising a lace or string, and a tip consisting of a piece of flexible material wound compactly upon and around the end of the lace and on itself, the flexible piece being wider than the lace and the material being impregnated with a substance which sets in cooling, and by which substance the piece is held on the outside of the lace and alsoin the shape of a tip.

2. A shoe lace or the -l1ke,'compr1s1ng a lace or string, and a tip consisting of narrow strip of flexible material, the greater dimension ofwhich strip extends lengthwise of the lace, and the strip being wider than the lace andwound compactly in the direction of its width upon and around the end ofthe lace and on itself, vthe material being impregnated with a substance which sets in cooling, and by which substance the strip is held on the lace and also in the shape of a tip. r r

ARTHUR W. UELLENDAHL. 

